Law banning youth indoor tanning seems to have led to a large dip in the practice

A 2013 New Jersey law banning indoor tanning for those 17 and under seems to have led to a nearly 50% reduction in adolescent tanning, according to a new study. Nearly 12,700 high school students were surveyed every two years between 2012-2018, and by 2018, 48% fewer kids younger than 17 reported indoor tanning compared to 2012 figures. Nearly 75% fewer girls who were 17 and older reported tanning in 2018 compared to six years prior. Although the study relied on self-reported data, the scientists behind the work suggest that the New Jersey law could provide a framework for other places looking to reduce indoor tanning and its negative health impacts.